Hiking pants ???

“Last winter I only did day hikes. In Alabama you can usually get away with jeans and polypro long johns. I will probably take a Feb. and a March weekend trip. I'm slowly accumilating gear. What do yall use in the winter in the South. I'm looking at Columbia pants that are nylon or some fleece pants I saw in campmor. I guess the combination of both would be good. Any thoughts?”

“i got some killer nylon gramicci pants, from my local outfitter. they are super light, too!”

“The fleece will probably be too hot for hiking. I would wear the nylon pants with an additional wind/rain layer if it gets really cold or wet.

I tried wearing a lightweight fleece pant in N. GA in the winter, and I thought I was going to burn up while hiking. Fleece in camp would be cozy, though.”

“Fleece for winter hiking is to hot for New England. I usually wear the lightest long johns under my shell pants if it's below about 20. Above that I just use my shell or nylon pants.

In camp fleece is nice.”

“My first thought was the nylon, but I thought it might be too thin. I did a dayhike at Cheaha last year in about 25 deg. weather. My legs were cool, but not cold. Is the nylon a little cooler than jeans? Fleece around camp sounds good. I've got a birthday coming up (the big 30 in under 2 wks), and I'm trying to use it to fill in the gear gaps.”

“Rad, who is your favorite local outfitter? REI is okay, but very few deals there. Anyone else you like?”

“Nylon Gramicci pants in the summer and fall.

In winter, I prefer thin fleece longjohns under a shell. The loose fleece is more comfortable than tight nylon longjohns.”

“The shell pants are nice because it cuts that biting wind. I usually have more trouble staying cool and dry than warm though so you may need more insulation.”

“bobk,

high country outfitters, on roswell rd. good sales.

high country outfitters, behind the Hooters, on holcomb bridge, too! same stuff as rei, but local.”

“I have a pair of nylon cargo pants that I got through Campmor for $12. They're great. Weigh almost nothing. Block the wind. These are NOT warm pants and need to be worn with long undies on cool eves. I treated them with DWR and for 3 season hiking, they're my rain pants as well.”

“Oh yeah. they're made by Columbia.”

“I use Rail Riders Weather Pants, Nylon, double seat, double knee, light and loose, I use light silk longies under them, good warmth to weight and wicking. That's all I hike in down to 0 deg unless it rains a lot then I carry breathable rain pants.”

“Thanks, Rad. I'll check out the Roswell Rd. store.”

“that's my favorite. they have a bibler bivy. be ready to drool.”

“Ex Officio's with the zip-off legs. Lightweight Capilene underneath if it's cold enough. Sequel Twilight pants on top if it's wet/windy enough.

Folks look atcha funny if your longjohns protrude from your shorts down South. Hell, if you're in the woods and not wearing camouflage, you're immediatly suspect, *G*.”

“Rail Rider Eco pants - Tough as nails and have full length vertical zips and only weigh~10-12-oz. The material is similar to the Weatherpants just not doubled in the knees or behind.

Add a very light weight pair of breathable rain pants and you are ready for anything - err in the South.

Wear the rain pants over the Ecos for extra warmth when needed.”

“I have yet to ever wear long pants.. (and jeans?.. no way.)

My hiking pants are a half dozen shorts, coupled with some polypro when needed... (which to be honest, I don't even wear the poly unless it is DANGED cold.)

I have to admit all my stuff is just cotton (sorry no bucks for technical clothing).. but I have never been cold when hiking.. a few layers.. a little polypro.. and things are good..

The only time I wear long pants is sometimes at night when sitting around wherever I am sleeping that night.”

“when it's below freezing, i wear pants.

also, when it is extremely sunny, hot, and buggy, i wear lightweight pants.

i guess it just depends on whether you hike in conditions outside of the normal comfort range.”

“Thanks for all the info. I'll go with the nylon. That's what I was planning on buying until I saw the fleece in the campmor catalog. I had one of those, "Gee, I've never thought of that" moments. I'm over it now. Thanks again.

TownDawg, you still heading to Roan the weekend of UA/UT. It'll be a good game. I'll drink enough beer for the both of us.”

“Dayhiker: ya.. I go to Atlanta on Mon/Tues for business, then drive straight to Roan Mt on Wednesday.. be there thru Sunday.

Maybe UT can beat SOMEone.”

“They need to wait til the 4th Sat. in October.”

“In cold (not cool) weather, wear TNF g/t overall "bib" shell with silk longjohns, synthetic t-shirt and synthetic zip-t. Around camp, pile on fleece and down till I look like Eddie Murphy in that movie where he weighs about a thousand pounds.”

“different needs for different people (shrug) myself I use a pair of Mtn Hardwear nylon pants for most hiking possibly with capilene long johns under if cold but I will also use fleece pants to hike in when it gets colder. I never hike in shorts. My one dislike for the nylon pants is that stinging nettles go right through them - no big deal it is only a 30 min. itch for me then nada. Depending where I am bushwacking however the nettles can continue for a long ways and I wish I had a heavier pair of nylon pants.”

“I have a couple pairs of TNF Inca pants, but I don't think they make them anymore. They are a soft nylon canvas.

I love them.”

“I hear ya, Mr.Hog. Nettle acids go right through nylon pants.”

“While shopping at Kohls(dept store) I saw they had zip off leg pants on clearence for $20. They were lightweight nylon and had numerous pockets. If I needed new hiking pants I woulda got 'em.”

“What is a nettle acid and why is it in your pants?”

“I don't know what it is either bacpac, but it sounds nasty.”

“Nylon zip-off pants. They are great. I don't do anything cold, however.

With the Forest Service I wear their long pants now which are super. They are a blend and work great in warm or cool weather.”

“If there are nettles on the trail, it's still summer.

:)”

“I like my Frogg Toggs over the nylon pants if it is cold and windy. They are easy to put on and remove. When you wear silk undies you have to strip when you don't want them.”

“Stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, have lots of short thin bristles that are tipped with various chemicals including formic acid and various amines including histamine. The bristles are very thin and the tips can go right through thin nylon pants to induce a relatively short lived itch.”

“HOI -- please tell me you just looked that up...”

“Either way Fritz, HOI has completely educated me as to nettle acid,,lol.”

“Formic acid is also what some ants give off that make them seem like they sting. Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, is a base, which counteracts the fumic acid. If you apply a wet baking soda solution to the nettle irritation soon after contact, it will decrease the stinging and blistering dramatically, not immediately, but soon afterwards.”

“Cheapie (under $20) nylon pants that have zip-off legs. Got 'em at Target. I also have a pair of Sierra Designs Genesis pants for colder weather, waterproof/breathable, full length side zips so I don't have to take off my boots to put them on. $99 from REI Outlet.”

“Sportif supplex nylon. Light, tough, fast drying, cool in summer, quite windproof. I can wear mine year round.”

“Yup, Sportif nylon, $30 from Campmor.

I wore them this past weekend on the Franconia Ridge--20 degrees, 65mph gusts driving sleet and snow in my face. Legs were quite comfortable.”

“Should have said, these are the zip-off legs style. Don't recall if there's a cheaper version with permanent long legs.”

“Mine are not zip off. They're several years old.”

“Pants from Columbia or ExOfficio zip offs are great. From Columbia get the GRT. Or the travel pants from ExOfficio. They are both just the right weight and if you get hot zip off. I have used both in cool temps and been fine.”

“In deference to Rad, Try some Rad pants from Canada's MEC.”

“Double Seat, Cargo Pockets, Elastic Cuffs and nylon.
I found them quite good for scrub-bashing through Tea-Tree. Kep awat from Polyester derived pants unless you like that clinging feeling
"you've lost that clinging feeling, ohh ohh that clinging feeling"”

“Fritz - I did look up some of it - the part about the amines was something that I found - the rest of it I already knew”

“It's hot and humid here now but bugs (mosquitos, chiggers, ticks) and high weeds on the trail are causing me to look at longer pants vs. shorts. I'm Trying to figure out the best material for pants in these hot and humid conditions.

Any recommendations?”

“No-See-Um Bug Pants
Item Number: 82171
www.campmor.com

They have a couple of lightweight zip off pants also.

For chiggers - had them once. I'd wear pants just to avoid them and lots of bug spray.”

“Those mesh pants look like they might do the trick. Does anyone know if chiggers can get through no-see-um? Chiggers are my biggest concern (after West Nile subsides).”

“Here is a good site on chiggers. As this site says, you can get a lot of chiggers off of you just by rubbing yourself down with a cloth or a towel.

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/conmag/2000/05/5.htm”

“They would get right thru the mesh. We just wear long pants tucked into our socks - and spray the hell out of them. Cross our fingers and pray we dont get them.

Nasty buggers.”

“Try medical scrub pants like the ones they use in hospitals. They work really well and I use them for hiking when ticks might be a problem and for hot weather when I want my legs covered from sun and black flies. They have no belt loops or anything to chafe your waist area under the hipbelt, comfortable, very cool to wear and cheap at a uniform supply house. They are a blend of 50/50 cotton poly and seem like the weight of bandana material. They dry fast too. They aren't that durable so don't expect them to last for years, but they work well. Mosquitos can and will bite through the fabric, but ticks and black flies can't. At $11 per pair I like them.”